Everything is bigger in Texas.
The stakes for the American Sprint Car Series championship intensify as a visit to Crandall, TX’s RPM Speedway on Saturday, Oct. 10 marks the final weekend before the 2026 trail comes to a close at Creek County Speedway on Friday-Saturday, Oct. 16-17. Between the two weekends, the ASCS Sooner Region will join the Series to close their year.
RPM returns to the schedule for the first time since 2024, with 30 laps around the 1/4-mile bullring rewarding a $4,000 payday to the night’s victor and vital points to log before Creek County. Grandstand tickets will be available at the track on race day.
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Here’s a look at the top storylines:
Longhorn vs. Sooner – College football will not be the only sport to host a stateline brawl in the Dallas metroplex on Saturday as the ASCS National Tour gets closer to deciding the 2026 title between a representative from each state.
Sunnyvale, TX veteran Sam Hafertepe Jr. leads Glenpool, OK’s Matt Covington by 38 points heading into the second-to-last Saturday night Feature of the season. While Covington has more Heat wins and top-10 finishes, Hafertepe leads in Feature wins (six to Covington’s two) and has more top-fives, with 17 to Covington’s 15.
The Series visited the track once in 2024 for a doubleheader weekend, with Seth Bergman winning the opening night and Hafertepe taking the final Feature. Covington’s best finish at RPM was a fifth-place result from the 2024 finale.
Last Chance – Since an early turnaround in February, Seth Bergman has been on the heels of earning his second ASCS National Tour title throughout the 2026 season.
The Snohomish, WA native earned four wins, 13 top-fives, and 18 top-10s in the year to keep his Oklahoma Chillers No. 23 within the podium of the Series standings. His hopes for the Emmett Hahn Trophy turned sideways at the last Series event at Moberly Motorsports Park after he finished 15th in the 25-lap Feature.
Bergman needs a substantial points gain at RPM to slim a 118-point gap to Hafertepe for the lead. Bergman won the debut visit for the Series at RPM en route to the year’s championship.
Sooner Shootout – Multiple drivers in the Sooner Region take a step closer alongside the National Tour in the final three events to crown the region’s king.
Bonnerdale, AR’s Bradley Fezard leads 2024 champion Casey Wills by 50 points in his quest for a first title. Both drivers are hunting a first win in the 2026 season at RPM.
Among the top five sitting within double digits of Fezard are Hayden Mabe (66 points), Steven Shebester (74 points), and Whit Gastineau (90 points). The trip to RPM will be the first time since 2010 that the Sooner Region has logged laps around the 1/2-mile bullring.
Final Shakeup – While Hafertepe, Covington, and Bergman battle for the Emmett Hahn Trophy, the top-10 in National Tour standings have three opportunities to move upwards before season’s end.
While Austyn Gossel chases a 77-point gap to Ryder Laplante for fifth, Series rookie Cole Schroeder is 19 points away from passing the Fort Collins, CO native for sixth. Sophomore Brogan Carder sits 27 points back, and Terry Easum follows in ninth, 35 markers behind.
From Easum to Gossel, it’s an 81-point bubble that can make a $4,000 difference in the season-ending points fund. Though they will focus on the points gain at RPM, three of the four drivers will close the year with a career-high Series points finish.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
WHEN AND WHERE
Saturday, Oct. 10, at RPM Speedway in Crandall, TX
AROUND THE CORNER
Friday-Saturday, Oct. 16-17, at Creek County Speedway in Sapulpa, OK
CURRENT TOP-10 STANDINGS
- Sam Hafertepe Jr. (2773 pts)
- Matt Covington (-38)
- Seth Bergman (-117)
- Kyler Johnson (-286)
- Ryder LaPlante (-485)
- Austyn Gossel (-562)
- Cole Schroeder (-581)
- Brogan Carder (-608)
- Terry Easum (-643)
- Garrett Benson (-1189)
FEATURE WINNERS (12 Drivers)
6 wins – Sam Hafertepe Jr.
4 wins – Seth Bergman
3 wins – Tyler Courtney
2 wins – Justin Peck, Matt Covington, Jett Barnes
1 win – Kyler Johnson, Blake Hahn, Chris Martin, Brady Bacon, Levi Hillier, Gio Scelzi, Ryan Timms
FEATURE LAPS LED (20 Drivers)
102 laps – Sam Hafertepe Jr.
73 laps – Seth Bergman
54 laps – Kyler Johnson
52 laps – Justin Peck
37 laps – Jett Barnes
34 laps – Matt Covington
30 laps – Levi Hillier, Blake Hahn, Ryan Timms
29 laps – Brady Bacon
24 laps – Austyn Gossel
22 laps – Chris Martin
21 laps – Austin McCarl
20 laps – Gio Scelzi
16 laps – Cameron Martin
15 laps – Tyler Courtney
13 laps – Brian Brown
9 laps – Whit Gastineau
7 laps – Cole Macedo
3 laps – Sean McClelland
2 laps – Brady Baker
QUICK TIME AWARDS (9 Drivers)
11 awards – Sam Hafertepe Jr
4 awards – Matt Covington
2 awards – Kyler Johnson, Jett Barnes
1 award – Seth Bergman, Howard Moore, Chris Martin, Levi Hillier, Aaron Reutzel, Brogan Carder
HEAT RACE WINNERS (43 Drivers)
10 wins – Matt Covington
8 wins – Seth Bergman
6 wins – Sam Hafertepe Jr.
5 wins – Ryder Laplante
4 wins – Garrett Benson
3 wins – Chris Martin, Whit Gastineau, Justin Peck, Kyler Johnson
2 wins – Austyn Gossel, Cam Martin
1 win – Jordan Mallett, Sean McClelland, Brady Bacon, Tyler Clem, Emerson Axsom, Brian Brown, Cole Macedo, Garen Linder, Colby Copeland, Nick Parker, Hank Davis, JJ Hickle, Alex Hill, Jeremy Campbell, Blake Hahn, Kade Morton, Alex Sewell, Brady Baker, Howard Moore, John Carney II, Tanner Holmes, Austin McCarl, Matt Juhl, Tyler Courtney, Ryan Timms, Tasker Phillips, Clint Garner, Evan Semerad, Brogan Carder, Cole Schroeder, Jett Barnes, Josh Schneiderman
DASH STARTS (40 Drivers)
16 starts – Sam Hafertepe Jr., Matt Covington
11 starts – Kyler Johnson
9 starts – Seth Bergman
7 starts – Whit Gastineau
5 starts – Ryder Laplante
4 starts – Levi Hillier, Chris Martin, Jett Barnes, Garrett Benson
3 starts – Tyler Courtney, Brian Brown, Justin Peck, Cameron Martin, Brogan Carder
2 starts – Emerson Axsom, Austin McCarl, Brady Bacon, Davie Franek, Howard Moore, Austyn Gossel, Cole Schroeder
1 start – Jordan Mallett, Paul Solomon, Brock Zearfoss, Cole Macedo, Tyler Clem, Hank Davis, Nick Parker, Colby Copeland, Garen Linder, JJ Hickle, Alex Hill, Blake Hahn, Alex Sewell, Kade Morton, Jeremy Campbell, Bryant Wiedeman, Brady Baker, Rich Bailey, Terry Easum, Paxton Fleming, Jamie Ball, Josh Schneiderman
LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINNERS (14 Drivers)
2 wins – Braxton Weger, Rico Abreu
1 win – DJ Christie, Matt Covington, Tyler Clem, Whit Gastineau, Sterling Cling, Gage Montgomery, Brogan Carder, Bradley Fezard, Chris Martin, Cole Schroeder, Kade Morton, Zach Blurton, Austyn Gossel
HARD CHARGER AWARDS (17 Drivers)
3 awards – Seth Bergman, Whit Gastineau
2 awards – Sam Hafertepe Jr.
1 award – Ryder Laplante, Brady Bacon, Cole Macedo, DJ Netto, Brogan Carder, Joe B. Miller, Bradley Fezard, Hayden Mabe, Jack Thomas, Kyler Johnson, Casey Wills, Riley Goodno, Tasker Phillips, Rico Abreu, Cole Schroeder, Zach Blurton, Sheldon Bender, Austyn Gossel
PODIUM FINISHES (30 Drivers)
13 podiums – Sam Hafertepe Jr.
11 podiums – Matt Covington
7 podiums – Seth Bergman
4 podiums – Kyler Johnson, Tyler Courtney
3 podiums – Garrett Benson, Justin Peck, Whit Gastineau, Brady Bacon
2 podiums – Austin McCarl, Levi Hillier, Austyn Gossel, Ryan Timms, Aaron Reutzel, Jett Barnes
1 podium – Cole Macedo, Emerson Axsom, Brock Zearfoss, JJ Hickle, Jordan Mallett, Chris Martin, Blake Hahn, Alex Sewell, Christopher Townsend, Gio Scelzi, Kyle Larson, Ryder Laplante, Cole Schroeder, Zach Blurton, Cameron Martin
2026 AMERICAN SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE + WINNERS
Date / Track / City, State / Winner (Total Wins)
*Denotes Split-Field Prelim Feature
- Thu, Jan. 29 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Tyler Courtney
- Fri, Jan. 30 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Tyler Courtney (2)
- Mon, Feb. 2 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Brady Bacon
- Sat, Feb. 21 / Central Arizona Raceway / Casa Grande, AZ / Justin Peck
- Sun, Feb. 21 / Central Arizona Raceway / Casa Grande, AZ / Matt Covington
- Sat, Feb. 28 / Central Arizona Raceway / Casa Grande, AZ / Justin Peck (2)
- Sun, Mar. 1 / Central Arizona Raceway / Casa Grande, AZ / Levi Hillier
- Sat, Apr. 11 / Salina Highbanks Speedway / Salina, OK / Chris Martin
- Fri, May 8 / Benton Speedway / Benton, MO / Seth Bergman
- Fri, June 5 / Creek County Speedway / Sapulpa, OK / Blake Hahn
- Sat, June 6 / 81 Speedway / Park City, KS / Seth Bergman (2)
- Fri, June 26 / Belleville High Banks / Belleville, KS / Sam Hafertepe Jr.
- Sat, June 27 / Belleville High Banks / Belleville, KS / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (2)
- Fri, July 10 / Batesville Motor Speedway / Locust Grove, AR / Matt Covington (2)
- Sat, July 11 / Texarkana 67 Speedway / Texarkana, AR / Seth Bergman (3)
- Sat, July 25 / Dodge City Raceway Park / Dodge City, KS / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (3)
- Sat, Aug. 1 / Viking Speedway / Alexandria, MN / Kyler Johnson
- *Thu, Aug. 6 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Gio Scelzi
- *Fri, Aug. 7 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Tyler Courtney
- Sat, Aug. 8 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Ryan Timms
- Fri, Aug. 28 / Big Sky Speedway / Shepherd, MT / Seth Bergman (4)
- Sat, Aug. 29 / Big Sky Speedway / Shepherd, MT / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (4)
- Sun, Aug. 30 / Sheridan Speedway / Sheridan, WY / Jett Barnes
- Fri, Sept. 4 / Gallatin Speedway / Belgrade, MT / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (5)
- Sat, Sept. 5 / Electric City Speedway / Black Eagle, MT / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (6)
- Sat, Sept. 12 / Moberly Motorsports Park / Moberly, MO / Jett Barnes (2)
